Thursday, January 29, 2009

It's Workshop Wednesday time and the prompt I chose is3.) Describe someone in your life you wish you saw more of: This was a no brainer and gave me a chance to write a post about someone I love a lot and haven't posted about yet.My BFF Gayle. I hope she reads this one and knows how much she means to me and how much I miss her evry day.

There used to be a time I could stick my head out my door and hollar "Gayle, if my kids are down there, shag their ass home. Supper's ready!" and my best friend would send my kids home before the last word was out of my mouth.

My youngest child actually found my BFF for me when we moved into our house. We were all so busy moving furniture and unpacking boxes but he was only 5 so he was out exploring his new neighborhood. He wandered down a few houses and found a little girl playing outside and decided he wanted to play too. Gayle (the little girl's mother) thought she ought to let me know where he was so I wouldn't worry and we became friends from that moment on.

If her kids weren't at my house, my kids were at her house and we never worried about them because we both knew each of us would treat them and discipline them just like the other would. They called us both mom and felt at home in both places. We've been there for all their graduations, weddings, and births of their children.

Gayle and I wore a path down the middle of the road going back and forth between our houses. We spent many hours laughing, crying, swearing and doing our fair share of bitching about our husbands, kids, families, friends and jobs. We might have even tried to solve world peace in there somewhere but gave up on that. It was hard enough trying to solve our own problems let alone world peace.

We've supported each other through many things. She was there for my divorce and I was there for hers. I stood up for her second marriage and she stood up in mine. The words "In good times and in bad" apply to us. We share a bond that often times makes us think we might have been twins separated at birth. I will be thinking about her during the day and all of a sudden my phone will ring and it will be Gayle saying she was thinking about me and had to call. It is so uncanny it's almost unreal. Gayle knows more about me than any one and if she ever wanted to do a tell all she would have some good stuff to put out there but I'm not worried because unless I truly piss her off, she will carry all that to the grave with her. Just as I will do with all the stuff I know about her.

3 years ago, Gayle fell in love with a high school sweetheart who just happened to live in New Orleans. They had started conversating by email and phone and he came to visit and Gayle went down to visit. Around this time Gayle started job hunting down there also just on the off chance something might pop up.

Lo and behold, my BFF pulls a double whammy on me! Not only am I in Mexico on vacation but it's also my birthday and when I get back there is a message on my answering machine to the effect that she has gotten a job in New Orleans and is moving! I literally dropped the phone and started to cry. My hubbs thought someone had died and I guess in a way someone had.

For a while I was very angry at Gayle for leaving me. Who was I going to talk to when I had a problem? Who could I stop for drinks with after work? Who would be there when I needed that shoulder to cry on? Who would understand me like her? But I didn't have to worry because whether she is just down the street or across the country she will always be my BFF and that bond never dies.

We may have to tell each other our problems over the phone or via email and text but we still can. And we may not be able to stop after work for a drink but we can open bottle of wine over the phone and toast one together. You can get really drunk over the phone and not have to worry about driving home from the bar!

I wish she still lived down the street and out my back door but she comes home once in a while and I have made the trip down there to see her and will do so again.

Friendship never dies. I love you and miss you Gayle. Now get your ass back here where it belongs!!!!

Now head over to Mamakat's to read other post's while I quit blubbering here

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

So: HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!Buddy has brought a lot of love and laughter into Bear's life since he came to live with her.He gives her unconditional love, in return for just being there every day and feeding him.

When Bear comes home from work at night he covers her face with kisses to show how happy he is to see her and how much he missed her. Then he will run circles around her and jump in and out of her lap several times before he finally settles down.

He has little dog syndrome, where he thinks there is a BIG dog inside of him and he will take on the biggest dog he comes face to face with. At our family Christmas, my niece brought her St. Bernard and Buddy thought he was just as big. Can you see it? This little guy nose to nose with a St Bernard??? I kid you not, and the St Bernard backed down!

He is also in LOVE! That's right Buddy has not one but 2 girlfriends! He thinks the dogs next door are just the next best thing since sliced bread and whenever they are outside he puts up such a ruckus to go out. Then he runs back and forth along side the fence "courting them". It is true Puppy Love.

Buddy likes, Red Bull, food of any kind and his alcohol (he's been known to drink wine on occasion), but most of all, Buddy likes Bear. I pay tribute to Buddy for all the changes and happiness he has brought to her life since he has come to live with her.

Happy first birthday Buddy!

Now go on over to Jay and Deb's for more Tuesday Tributes cuz they're fun to read and even more fun to do

Monday, January 26, 2009

At 6 years old I was playing dolls with my friends. Having tea parties and playing make believe with my moms old dresses and shoes. Not so with Sydney Jo, my 6 year old grand daughter. She likes these things too, don't get me wrong, but she also likes to fight.

Fight, you say, that's just plain wrong! Before you all get your knickers in a bunch thinking her parents have her in the extreme fight club and pimp her out for money, let me explain.

She takes Karate lessons. And she's good at it! It teaches her discipline andstrength. We went to watch her try for her yellow belt Saturday. She had to do a series of different moves as they were called out to her from her instructor in front of a room full of people. Now remember, she's 6 and he didn't just call off one at a time and let her think about it. He rattled off several, then when she completed those told her to turn and repeat them the opposite way. This takes concentration and at 6 years old that's hard to do.

The whole exercise took about 15 minutes and she did very well. Then she was presented with a certificate and her yellow belt. You couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Now she trains again before she can try for the next belt. I think she gets her high yellow or maybe she just gets her green belt.

Sadie is also taking Karate lessons but isn't ready to test for her belt yet. It's just a matter of time though. Sailor isn't old enough to start yet but is already mimicking her sister's moves and can't wait to get out there and start busting a move.

I can tell you one thing for sure, I wouldn't want to meet any one of these girls in a dark alley once they've mastered their lessons. They may fight like a girl but they'll clean your clock!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Today I am wearing Indian Underwear!Don't know what that is? It is underwear that creeps up the cheeks of your butt and right into the crack of your ASS! Sneaky little devil that it is, it does this when you least expect it and when you really can't do anything about it. I know there are underwear made to be worn like this called Thongs and on occasion I wear them. Today is not one of those days. This underwear is not supposed to be there and is not at all comfortable there.

For instance, I was standing there talking to my supervisor when all of a sudden, BINGO! You guessed it, underwear in the butt crack and I couldn't pick it out. No nice why to do that and hold a conversation with the boss is there? Finally finish and run back to my office where I pull those nasty fellas outta there as best I could and carry on.

Next up, walking down the hall with people all around and there they go again! Almost made me want to shake my hips to see if they would fall back into place but then I remembered where i was and stopped just in time. I looked around to see if anyone had noticed what had just happened but no one was looking at me funny so guess not. Quick stop in the bathroom to remedy the problem and off I went again.

This happened a couple more times throughout the day until I just wanted to take the damn things off and go without! At least that way I wouldn't have to be shifting them around every ten minutes! Why can't someone make women's underwear that stay where they are supposed to? I think I am going to take a roll of duct tape to work with me- that ought to solve the problem next time it happens!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Today's Tuesday Tribute sponsored by Jay and Deb is all about the women in my life and how they have shaped me and made me who I am.

It begins with Frances, the woman who began this whole dynasty and more fondly known as Grandma P. This woman used to scare the bejesus out of me yet at the same time I just wanted to hug and kiss her. She could get me to do the nastiest chores and make me think it was my idea by the time I was done. Grandma P worked as an assistant in a local drug store for as long as I can remember and people used to ask me how old she was. I really never knew but I would always reply "she has to be under 65 because she is still working." Imagine my surprise when she did eventually quit and she was over 80! She mastered the computer after she was 70, bowled once a week and when she worked late and needed a ride home she hopped on the back of her bosses motorcycle. She was one tough old bird that lived to be 92. She makes you want to be a better person every day of your life.

Next is her daughter, my mother Diane. She inherited all of Grandma P's values of course and lived them every day of her life. She raised a garden, canned, sewed all our clothes, made homemade bread every week , hung the wash out on the line and ironed everything! Then she would dress us kids up and take us to church and Sunday school every week like clock work. She took care of her mother until she passed away then just a few short months later found out she needed surgery. During this surgery, mom suffered a stroke and lost the use of her left arm and partial use of her left leg. She never let it get her down and she wouldn't let us be down either. She says there are people far worse off than her and as long as she still has her mind and can get around that's all that matters. Gotta love someone who takes lemons and makes a pitcher of lemonade then shares it with the entire family.

Then I have my sisters, Natalie, Lisa and Paula- we don't live close enough to see each other on a daily basis but we do manage to get together at least 2-3 times a year. We don't always get along and there a few times we may disagree with each other, but try to hurt one of us and you take on the whole lot of us. We are ONE when it comes to family. We have been known to be a tad bitchy once in a while and proud of it too if you ask us. We all were born with the shopping gene and are proud to say we have passed it down to the next generation of our daughters.

In a round about way this post comes back to be about me (SORRY) because if it weren't for all these women and their being a part of my life (and I Thank God they have been) then I wouldn't be who and what I am today.

Head over to Jay and Deb and read some other tributes or do your own. They're fun.

Monday, January 19, 2009

This past weekend was the Big Family Christmas Celebration at my house. We typically pick a weekend in January (after everyone has done the traditional Christmas with other family) and gather to carry on the old fashioned Christmas my Grandma P started years ago. My sisters and I started this after my parents and other family members moved back to Iowa and we were left up here in Wisconsin. This gave us a way to still celebrate our Christmas tradition even if we couldn't be with the whole family. We took turns hosting it each year and as our children grew and had families they started travelling back to to share this experience with us. Eventually, our parents started coming up to spend the holiday with us and the past few years our youngest sister decided she wanted to join in on the action, so one year she hosts it and we all travel to Iowa.

It starts about Wednesday when my kids/grandkids hit my house. They stumble in about midnight, half asleep, yet excited to be there. I steer them in the direction of their beds and kiss them good night and they are down for the count. The next day they spend time shopping and playing until I get done with work then we have our own private Christmas gift exchange and dinner. Friday they spend the day with their dad/grandpa having a horse drawn sleigh ride in -5 degree weather! Sounds like fun to me.

Thursday my parents, sister,her husband and their two boys arrive. Time to shuffle the sleeping arrangements around.

Now we begin utter chaos. There are 9 adults, 6 children under the age of 13 and one dog all in my house at the same time!! HELP! Friday night we decide to take this show on the road and go out for a fish fry. Have you lost your freakin mind? First of all half the group isn't even there by the time we need to leave to make our reservation so we go without them.Then our table isn't ready so we're standing in the entrance way taking up the whole space while other people are trying to get in. Finally we get seated, everyone is there and my grandson says, "I'm going be sick!", runs to the bathroom and proceeds to puke all over! Way to make and entrance Noah! So he and his mom head back to our house while the rest of us enjoy our fish- you honestly didn't think we were all going to leave did you? We aren't totally heartless though, we took her home a fish fry to go.

Now for the big day, Saturday. I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off while everyone else is relaxing, shopping, playing Wii or just plain oblivious to the fact that "hey there's gonna be a total of 25 people here for a party soon and lots of stuff needs to be done!" Needless to say, everything got done (and what didn't nobody missed anyway) and everyone had a great time.

The Ugly Sweater contest was a big hit! There were truly some butt ugly sweaters too. I have pictures to prove it and will post them at a later date. They are all going to make their way to Good Will where they will make some ones day and will probably not be considered Ugly!

Food, Alcohol and good times were had by all well into the night. Last call was made by the bartender and once again we shuffled sleeping arrangements because we added four more people to the Inn. It was wall to wall air mattresses, sleeping bags and bodies in my family room.

Sunday morning found me cooking breakfast for the hungry masses as they slowly rose from their beds. Then the packing up started en mass and pretty soon Hubbs and I heard the sweetest sound ever- absolute, utter, SILENCE!

We took down the Christmas tree and decorations, cleaned the house and put everything back the way it was. There's only one thing I haven't been able to find but I'm still looking.IT'S MY SANITY.If any of you run across it would you let me know and I'll give you my address so you can return it.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

For this one we have to go way back to time beyond when most of you were born.

I am talking about when I was a small girl and since I am close to being older than dirt some of you may not remember some of the things I will be describing.

Mamakat's prompt that I chose from this weeks Workshop Wednesday was Talk about a time you stole something.

I grew up in a small town of about 1500 people where everyone knew everyone. In a way this was a good thing because I never had to be afraid and my parents always let me go places by myself. No drug dealers standing on street corners or men waiting to drag me into their cars and take me away(this would come later when I went to college). The down side to a small town was that you shouldn't get away with anything either. My mom knew what I was doing before I even thought about it sometimes!

We shopped for groceries at Rubick's. A real Mom and Pop store where they had a butcher who cut your meat as you asked for it. The candy wasn't located next to the check out but rather it had an aisle all to itself. They had tootsie rolls, jaw breakers, smarties, licorice, slo pokes, sugar daddies, fruit stripe gum and my all time favorite the big round ball of Bazooka Bubble Gum!

One day I went shopping with my mom and while she was talking with a friend I casually checked out the candy aisle. I walked back and forth looking at everything, reaching out and touching once in a while and heaving a big sigh because I had already been told I wasn't getting anything long before we had left home.

I was probably 6 years old at the time and I knew what stealing was but in my mind if I took one piece of Bazooka Bubble gum it wouldn't really be stealing. After all, we had just spent lots of money on groceries, this would just be more groceries, right?? So I reached out and put my chubby little hand around a piece while looking to see if Mom or the store people were watching, snatched it up and thrust it in my pocket, immediately running out to the car, jumping in and slamming the door (this was before we had to strap kids into car seats- guess back then they didn't care if we lived or not).

Mom came out, got in the car and we went home. As we were putting the groceries away, I decided I was safe so I pulled the Bazooka out of my pocket and started to unwrap it.

Just like that, my mother's hand snatched my wrist and took the gum out of my hand at the same time demanding," Where did you get this?" I knew I was in deep trouble when I looked at her and the next words out of her mouth were,"and don't lie to me"

So , with tears streaming down my face, my bottom lip trembling and snot dripping from my nose, I told her what I had done. She tossed my naughty ass back in the car and raced back up to Rubick's Grocery store. Then marched my sorry ass in the store and in front of everyone there made me tell the owner what I had done, give him back the Bazooka Bubble Gum and tell him I was sorry. I was horrified!! He was so nice and offered to give me the gum anyway. Of course my mother wouldn't let him- the principal of the thing or something like that. Cured me of ever wanting to steal again.

Now head on over to Mamakats and steal some other stories from bloggers participating in the workshop. You won't be sorry.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

In order to fully appreciate this Tuesday Tribute you have to use your imagination.

So, close your eyes and listen as you hear the Budweiser theme song start out softly and slowly build (Jay close your eyes I see you peeking!) to a crescendo!

While this is happening imagine men and women jumping out of bed in the middle of the night, throwing on long underwear, flannel shirts, wool socks and heavy work boots. They bundle up in warm coats, hats and gloves, grab a cup of coffee as they run out the door to brave to winter weather and head to the municipal building where they will fire up the big orange SNOWPLOWS.(and then you hear in that perfect announcers voice:)

That's right, Here's to you Mr Snowplow driver without whom I would not have been able to get to work to day. You got out there in the middle of the night while the snow was still blowing and the temperatures were below zero and cleared the roads.

While I was sleeping in my nice warm bed you crawled out of yours to put the salt to the ice. To melt that crap so that it was just slush this morning so that my car didn't slip and slide all over the place.

We sometimes take you for granted because it's your job but what if your car doesn't start, you oversleep, or your driveway doesn't get plowed? Who would clear our roads then? So I salute the Snowplow Drivers , those men and women out there working in the worst weather so I can have peace of mind.

OK, music fades and you can open your eyes now. Head over to Jays to read other Tributes or join the fun and write your own

Monday, January 12, 2009

I have been so busy I am just now getting around to sharing it with all

of my friends. Isn't it PRETTY??

Of course as with all blogger awards, there are rules that have to be followed

Rule 1 - Say a nice thing to a man in your life.

Rule 2 - List at least 6 ways you measure success in your life.

Rule 3 - Assign 5 other worthy blogs

Since the #1 guy in my life is Hubbs, I told him how much I loved him and how blessed I was to have him in my life.

I measure success in my life by knowing my children are happy, by sharing my joy of life with others, hearing the laughter of my grand children as they play, being able to live my life each day with the man I love, enjoying good health and sound mind, and having many good friends and a large family to love me.

Now I must pass this award on to five people I think deserve it. This is actually not hard at all because in the short time I have been blogging I have read some amazing blogs and made some wonderful blogging friends. So here they are and please if you haven't already tuned into them go check these blogs out- you will be hooked just like I was.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

You have to be just a little crackers to want to play this game and I actually begged, , pleaded volunteered after I saw it on one of my new favorite blogs.

Jane at Emptying the Nest played this game using the letter V and did a great job. Had me laughing my butt off so when she asked if anyone wanted to play, I raised my hand and said ME! ME! ME!The rules of the game are as follows: You have to list 10 of your favorite things, but they have to start with a certain letter assigned to you by the blog owner. Since we are just new blog friends, Jane must have taken pity on me becasue she did not give me one of those UGLY letters like U, Q, or X. She gave me M. So let us begin the alphabet game.

1. Macaroni (and cheese)- this is my favorite comfort food. I will make a whole box of this when ever the hubbs is going to be gone. This will be my meal of choice whenever I don't want to cook anything else. I love to make this homemade, using 3 cheeses. The gooyer (is this even a word?) the better.

2. Mojitos- My drink of choice right now. Made with rum and mint it is soooooo good! Give me this with macaroni and cheese and I'm a happy camper. I have now found a bottled version by Bacardi so don't even have to take the time to mix them. How sweet is that?? Try them you might come over to my side.

3. Millionaire- Hell no I'm not one, Yet. I keep hoping to one day win the Powerball and every week I give them my $5 like clockwork. So far they have just taken it and haven't given anything back except a measly $4 or $7 here and there. Every girl has to have a dream right and mine is towin that million some day. Let ya'all know when it happens.

4. Mirrors- Something that on one day can be my best friend and the next my worst enemy. Why is it that I can look in a mirror one day and love what I see and the next time I want to throw a shoe through it? I swear to God I have funhouse mirrors in my house! Mirror, Mirror on the Wall?

5. Mama, Mommy, Mom, Mother- all these words are me and have come out of my children's mouths at varying stages of their lives when they have wanted or needed me. It doesn't define who or what I am (I am so much more on any given day) but I love being a mother. The one that means the most would have to be Mama because it's the first time the said my name.

6. Men o pause- a nasty phase all women go through so I'm really not sure why they named it after men. Although if you break it down and look at it the way I have it here maybe they are really telling men they should pause before engaging us in anything during this time. Thank God I am done with all this.I am sure hubbs thanks him too.

7. Meltdown- Somthing I have been known to have on occassion when under extreme stress! This has been known to occur when travelling with Hubbs, building something with Hubbs, planning a large family gathering (which I am doing right now) or during school (which I start next week).

8. Marriage- I love being married to Hubbs. He is my soul mate and completes me. No matter what I say about him in my blog without him I would be lost. I highly recommend it to everyone.

9. Many- the number of blessings I have in my life between my HUbbs, my children, grand children, family and friends.

10. Migraine- I thought halfway through this list I would maybe get a migraine trying to finish but it really wasn't that hard. Thanks to the several mojitos I have drank and the macaroni and cheese I have eaten. I feel no pain.

So anyone out there that would like to play the game. Let me know and I will give you a lovely letter. Come on don't be afraid.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Who am I? Depends on the day , the time of month and of course who you ask.

One day I can be Pollyanna only seeing the bright side of every thing. The next I am Cruella ready to steal your puppies right out from under you.

This week Mamakat had us ask a loved one to use 6 words to describe us and report back as one of our prompts for Wednesday Workshop.

I decided the best person to ask would be my sweet, loving, wonderful husband. Who knows me better than him right? The most wonderful words would trip right off his tongue. Right? Wrong.

He. had. to. think. before. he. answered.

When he did answer this is what he had to say...........

1. Energetic- So what, I'm the energizer bunny running around like crazy never stopping? I do admit I can get a lot done in a day and I don't need a lot of sleep but pink was never my color.

2. Thorough- OK can you say anal retentive? I have to have everything (and I mean everything planned out to the minute. I am so organized that when we are going on a trip I am packed 1 1/2 weeks before and would have the suitcases in the car if my husband would let me drive around with them.

3. Resourceful- OK so I was a Girl Scout and could probably build a fire by rubbing two sticks together. Is there a crime in this?

4. Loving- Thank God he threw this one in there or the man might have ended up dead or divorced. Yes I do love him just kidding.5.Thoughtful- I think about myself all the time. (That's a joke people.) I also think about shopping and how many new pairs of shoes or how many new purses I can buy.

6. Humble- I am truly humbled by how well my husband knows me and yet still loves me. Most people, myself included would have left me by now after all this.

When my evil twin creeps out, shows herself and starts acting like this, my husband puts his arms around me, tells me he loves me and brings me back down to earth. Then I truly am all of the above words he used to describe me and deserve them all.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Jay over at Halftime Lessons, a new blog I've started obsessing overstalking following has created something fun and new in the same spirit as MamaKat's Workshop Wednesdays. He is calling it Tuesday Tributes and it is all about saying something about other people- nice or not/

The one thing you can not talk about is yourself. I know, What the hell is this all about? I need that attention people!! How do you expect me to survive if no one is talking about me and if I don't talk about me- no one will!!!! Oh alright, I suppose I can make it one day without all that adulation.

I debated long and hard whether to be nice or naughty with my first Tuesday Tribute- Naughty won. So here goes.........

I do not mean to offend any one from Illinois but what the hell is wrong with your Governor? Was he like this when you voted for him?

Does he not get how much trouble he is in? He just keeps on doing whatever he wants and damn the consequences. Sort of like a 2 year old that has been told he can not do something then does it anyway all the while looking at you to see if you are watching.

I am tired of seeing him on TV, in the newspaper and the Internet. Waving and smiling like he doesn't have a care in the world. Does he think if he pretends everything is OK it will be? What planet does he live on? You are under arrest and facing impeachment idiot! Deal with reality!

Like the child he is acting like, he didn't listen, appointed Burres and now we have to untangle that mess. Someone needs to give him a potch on the butt and stand him in the corner for a time out. Grow up Blagojevich!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

We built our house about 8 years ago but didn't finish the basement right away for 2 reasons.

1. We didn't know what we wanted to do at the time.

2. We were doing the work ourselves and had reached the point that if we didn't stop now we probably would have either ended up divorced or killing each other and since we were newly married we decided that wasn't such a good idea.

We gradually finished the family room without too much bloodshed and have been enjoying it for a while. It is my sanctuary. I spend quite a bit of time there because it is cozy and inviting, unlike our great room which I feel is much too big and very cold. I don't spend much time there unless we have company.

We are hosting my family Christmas in January and will have a large number of people staying with us so I informed my husband that it was time we finally finished the last room. It is a combination sewing room/bedroom. The drywall has been up for quite a while, it just needed to be mudded and then painted. The ceiling hung and the floor installed. A good weekend project for the two of us. Right? After all my husband is in the construction business so how hard can this be?

The drywall is completed and we schedule the painting. We ended up having one of our employees finish mudding it for us as my husband decided he didn't want to didn't have the time do it. This took a couple of weeks since we had to work around other jobs this person had (we don't come first you know). The painting ends up being New Years Day since we both have the day off. Yup you guessed it, we both wake up feeling like shit a little the worse for wear but determined to paint the room. It does get done and I have to say, it looks amazing! We had to do some touch up work cuz the first time around wasn't so stellar but hey what do you expect?

This weekend we started to put in the dropped ceiling tiles. First we have to put up the grid to hold the tiles. For any of you that have never done this, you nail this metal strip around the outside of the room then crisscross those with others and wire them up to hold the tiles. I am only 4'11" and was expected to be able to hold these strips up on the wall while my husband nailed them up. That wouldn't have been so bad, except I was supposed to be able to see this pencil mark that he had made and be sure I had the strip dead on this mark. Hello can you say, "TOO SHORT TO SEE THE DAMN MARK!" My husband didn't seem to understand this and was constantly asking me "do you have it on the mark?" You betcha honey. Ask me one more time and you'll be wearing the mark .We finally got the grid done and started to put up the ceiling tiles only to find that some of them were water damaged from sitting in our basement so we ended up being 6 tiles short. Now we have to order more tiles and hope to hell they still carry these tiles or we will end up taking down all the ones we have put up and redoing the ceiling with new ones.

Today we are supposed to lay the floor. We are doing a slate laminate floor that should be fairly easy to lay and only take a few hours to do. However, we went to a party last night and hubby is a little under the weather again today( really people he doesn't have a problem- it is the holiday season) and then mother in law has invited us to lunch so we will be taking a break right about the time we finally get a good start. I keep reminding him we only have 11 days left until my family descends on us so we need to get this room done or they could end up sleeping with him.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

It's Writer's Workshop Wednesday and you all know what that means.Yes you have to endure another lengthy story from me because Mamakatforces encourages me to do this to broaden my horizon and my fan base.

Today I chose prompt # 4.) Close out 2008 with your own TOP 10 list!

#10. We finally built the deck on the back of our house! Well almost- the railing isn't done and the step still needs to be built but at least the deck is done.

#9. My Mom and Dad celebrated 59 years of wedded bliss,happiness, OK togetherness without killing each other. I wish I could some day achieve this.

#8. Hubby and I finally made the long awaited trip to New Orleans to visit my BFF and her S/O. She's only been down there 3 years! Geez, what's the rush?

#7. Hubby and I also took our annual tropical vacation to Mexico, only to find I had booked us at a repeat resort ( I try never to do this). They had been bought, renamed and remodelled. Not as good the second time around.

#6. Brett Favre retired from the Packers then decided he wanted to play after all.WTF? We decided we didn't want him. Aaron Rodgers is much better.

#5. My daughter, Bear and the Nebraska grand kids vacationed at the cottage with Hubby and I, Bear caught a BIG fish. She named him Michael. We ate him.

#4. Finally got everyone together for a family picture (or so we thought) Seems my son decided to have a tude that day. We only had to travel 3 states and 500 miles to do it but it sure is worth it!

#3. Bear hosted her first family holiday dinner(Thanksgiving) this year. Hubby, I,daughter Carrin's family and friend Carey's family all helped her and her dog Buddy celebrate.

#2. I got a son-in- law fro Christmas (almost). Daughter Carrin got proposed to, said yes and they're now planning a wedding.

and the thing that holds the top slot of 2008

#1. My dad turned 80 years young in November. His wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends gathered to celebrate his life.

So head on over to Mamakatsand see who else made the list.There's some really good reading to be found if you take the time.

About Me

I am wife to George, mother of 5 terrific children and Nana to 10 wonderful grandchildren who are the light of my life. I recently decided to return to college to complete my degree as well as working full time! Totally nuts I know. I love my life, my children, grandchildren and my husband, Doesn't get any better than that!!!

My Very First Award

Award Hall of Fame

Little Known Facts About Me

I love shoes and probably have over a hundred pairsI'm addicted to shoppingI'm a romanticI'm a real softie where my grandchildren are concerned (OK where my kids are concerned too)I hate butter on my popcorn but love to eat a chocolate Hersey Bar with it! Yummy!I have a vivd imagination and love to watch people in airports or malls and give them LIVES bassed on what I think they should be.I hate the color orangeThanksgiving is my all time favorite holidayI love to read and often wished I could write a book that would sell and make me rich and famous.I was a cheerleaderI was a baton/flag twirler in the marching band (loved those short skirted uniforms)I was a member of the Future Teachers of America-can you imagine that?